A government grant will help spread the word to older Americans about how to reduce their risk of fire danger. (NAPS)

(NAPSI)—If you or someone you care about is among the approximately
47 million Americans over 65—or hopes to be someday—there could
be good news for you.

Many older Americans may live longer, safer lives thanks to recent
research indicating that elderly adults have the greatest risk of fire death
and the subsequent grant awarded to the Electrical Safety Foundation
International (ESFI). This prestigious Fire Prevention & Safety Grant
comes from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency
Management Agency to support fire prevention and safety efforts, prioritizing
programs aimed at high-risk populations. The ESFI is a nonprofit organization
dedicated exclusively to promoting the importance of electrical safety.

With funding from the grant, ESFI developed a new older adult safety
campaign consisting of video and radio public service announcements, infographics and brochures. This multifaceted home fire
safety awareness program will equip at-risk older adults and their
communities with knowledge to help prevent the leading causes of home fires:
cooking equipment, heating equipment and electrical equipment.

For example, it advises everyone, especially older adults, to have both
smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Place the alarms inside each
bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home. Don’t
put alarms near windows or ducts, where drafts might interfere with their
effectiveness, and keep them at least 10 feet away from cooking appliances to
minimize false alarms. Test the devices at least once a month and change the
batteries at least once a year. Replace the device every 10 years. If you
have difficulty hearing, you can get alarms that give off low-pitched sounds
or vibrations.

ESFI will distribute additional materials through Community Action
Agencies (CAAs) as well as various Rebuilding
Together affiliates to reach older adults in places with the highest rates of
fire deaths.

“Raising awareness among the most at-risk populations is crucial to
preventing home fires, fire deaths and related injuries,” said ESFI
President Brett Brenner. “This year, we’re working with CAAs that work directly with these populations to ensure
that we educate even the hardest-to-reach groups and decrease their
vulnerability to home fires.”

This is the sixth year that ESFI has received the grant. In the past, ESFI
used the funds to directly affect more than 3.4 million children and their
families by distributing classroom toolkits that were mailed to schools and
given to ESFI’s nationwide network of safety
advocates.

ESFI engages in public education campaigns throughout the year to increase
awareness of the steps that can be taken to prevent electrical fires,
injuries and fatalities in the home, school and workplace.

Learn More

To explore the resources created by this grant, and for further facts and
tips about ESFI and electrical safety, visit www.esfi.org.

“A home
fire safety awareness program will help at-risk older adults prevent the
leading causes of home fires: cooking equipment, heating equipment and
electrical equipment. http://bit.ly/2vqRyCR”